


Warm

by nctinee



Series: Erlebnisse [12]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Family Fluff, I busted all my uwus for this shit, I love my sleepy nct babies, Late at Night, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Mark Lee Are Best Friends, Lee Taeyong & Suh Youngho | Johnny Are Best Friends, Mark Lee & Lee Taeyong Are Siblings, Post-Anxiety Attack ig you could say, Sleepy Boys, Slice of Life, Soft Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Soft Lee Taeyong, Soft Mark Lee (NCT), Soft Suh Youngho | Johnny, Sweet Mark Lee (NCT), Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22666747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nctinee/pseuds/nctinee
Summary: He's never felt warm before. Sure, he's felt hot from the summer heat on his skin and the uncomfortable humidity of sweat trickling down his sides from gym class, but he's never felt warm, from a soft smile directed at him or from tiny pin prick nerves dancing on his skin from a brush of a hand on his knee.He's never felt warm, but they show him how it feels.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Suh Youngho | Johnny, Lee Taeyong & Suh Youngho | Johnny, Mark Lee & Lee Taeyong
Series: Erlebnisse [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1418836
Comments: 2
Kudos: 85





	Warm

**Author's Note:**

> I love love love /love/ this one
> 
> For those that read this series, this does take place after Donghyuck's suicide attempt (let's also pretend Mark and TY have been brothers this whole time, mmkay?) If you're new, don't worry, this can be read as a standalone fic.
> 
> Enjoy.

"It's okay to not be okay," Johhny whispers, moonlight playing off his face to make him look like an angel.

The bathroom is silver, shadows of the trees moving in the porthole window just above the back wall. It's quiet for two in the morning, no creaks from the house or shudders from the windows in the wind. 

Donghyuck knows that's he's breaking one of his many rules of survival, _"Never admit to what can be used against you"_ , but it's so easy to open up to Johnny. He's supportive and strong and cares so strongly for the people he loves, protective and possessive in the best ways. 

There's a gleam in his eyes, soft smile on his lips as he leans against the cabinets in front of Donghyuck. He's got his legs curled up to his chest like a small child while he gazes at Donghyuck like they're the only two people in the world.

"So tell me, Hyuckie. Are you okay?"

He wants to say yes. It's what he's been saying for years, trying to convince himself and his parents that he was fine. He knew that was a lie, but it was easy to overlook. Wasn't a problem if he didn't pay attention to it.

But here Johnny is in Taeyong's bathroom, not afraid to look Donghyuck and his demons in the face.

"No," he whispers quietly, and his shoulders lift slightly. 

"Okay. Come to me if you need anything. I'm open any day, any time. Don't hesitate to ask," and Johnny pats his knee that's hanging over the edge of the tub, all open-hearted and warm, so warm.

He's never felt _warm_ before. Sure, he's felt hot from the summer heat on his skin and the uncomfortable humidity of sweat trickling down his sides from gym class, but he's never felt _warm_ , from a soft smile directed at him or from tiny pin prick nerves dancing on his skin from a brush of a hand on his knee. It's never warm, but Johnny, Johnny is. 

(Johnny is the comfort you feel from a parent or an older sibling wiping your tears, or the sun peeking through the curtains on a Sunday morning after a rainstorm. He's the smell from a familiar cup of coffee wafting through a library, the love from flipping through old photos remembering the better times. He's a nostalgic type of warm, lingering around the best parts of life.)

They sit in the bathroom for a little while after, small conversations making their way between the two, midnight light turning blue as the night progressed. Neither boy get tired as they wander in their thoughts, both enjoying the quiet hum of the radiator from the far wall.

Some time later, he hears a creak of a bed and some shuffling footsteps outside the door, then Mark is poking his head through the slit between the door and the wall. He's rubbing an eye with a balled fist (cute cute cute!) with his hair done up all wild and messy (he wants to run his fingers through his hair, smooth it down how Mark likes it, or maybe mess it up even more. Is it as soft as it looks? God, he's so fucking gay for Mark, Jaemin would laugh at him, it's that bad.) He just stares between the two of them, then shuts the door and climbs into the bathtub next to Donghyuck.

There's a little shuffling, Mark laying his head on Donghyuck's shoulder and knocking their socked feet together over the edge of the tub, and it's cozy. Their hands land next to each other on the floor of the tub, and Mark takes that last step to link his pinky over Donghyuck's. 

Mark mumbles a sleepy, "Hi Duckie," and tucks his face farther into Donghyuck's neck, and he can hear Johnny snickering from across the room but chooses to ignore him. He threads his hand through Mark's hair (it is as soft as it looks) and answers, "Hi Markie,". That brings a smile from the other boy's tired lips, feet tapping a rhythm in the air. 

"Whaddaya doin' in the tub?" He asks, not even acknowledging Johnny who is smiling like a complete idiot. Donghyuck shoots him a look. 

"Couldn't sleep. Johnny was helping me through another episode," 

At that, Mark wakes up a little bit, body curling more into Donghyuck and holding his hand a little tighter, like he was afraid he was going to float away. He can feel Mark's lashes flutter against his neck, his lips ghosting over his skin.

"Why didn't you wake me?" 

"Didn't wanna bother you,"

Mark sighs, and pushes himself up a little so he can look him in the eyes properly. "You could never bother me Duck. Don't think otherwise," and he goes back to laying down against him, close and stable and _warm_. 

(Mark is the unfiltered glee from laughing too hard, the sweetness of melting ice cream on a boardwalk. He's the taste of crocuses and white lilacs and arborvitaes in Spring, the feeling of riding your bike down a hill screaming your lungs out. He's a youthful type of warm, set deep in your bones.)

The three laugh quietly together, all too awake to go back to sleep. Donghyuck wants to freeze this moment, keep it in his pocket forever. Johnny and Mark are playing footsie and giggling like children, Mark still linked to him by the hand. He laughs freely, enjoying the game in front if him, and tries to remember what he was so anxious about. 

Their giggling awakens a pouty Taeyong who comes in half an hour later. ("Why the hell are y'all giggling in my bathroom?" "Don't question it,") He joins Johnny on the floor, pulling one of the taller's arm around him, (don't mistake them as dating. Sleepy Taeyong is cuddly, and Johnny wouldn't dare refuse his best friend), and surveys the two younger boys in the tub, a spark in his eyes.

"Why are we in my bathroom at 4 a.m? Like, it's nice and all, but there are two perfectly good beds we could be sleeping in right now," Taeyong asks, fingers fiddling with the braided leather bracelet on Johnny's wrist. He looks at Donghyuck when he asks, and the other knows he can't get out of this.

"I had an attack, so I came in here so I wouldn't disturb anyone," he gestures around the room at the other three, "but that obviously didn't work out,"

"Hyuck, you shoulda told one of us. We'll always be here to help you, y'know that?" And he's got an authoritative tone laced in the words, not too heavy, but there just enough to get the point across. ( _"I will always be there when no one else is. I love you."_ ) 

Taeyong wraps his fingers around his ankle, and though the placement is a little strange, it's still caring in a maternal way. He brushes his thumbs up and down, a slow and steady rise of _warm_ that creeps up his leg. 

(Taeyong is smoking on the balcony at 6 p.m. watching people drive by, the feeling of guitar strings pressing into your fingers. He's the crash of waves on a shore, or a blanket being wrapped around your shoulders. He's a strong type of warm, holding you up in your darkest moments.)

It's quiet, from then on, just the four of them, enjoying the sun that slowly peeks through the little bathroom window. The radiator flicks on and off and the house creaks and groans but the four stay there, constant and content in the little ray of morning they have. 

Taeyong dozes off against Johnny's shoulder, and Mark and Donghyuck whisper to each other, more intimate and open than they usually are. Mark wipes Donghyuck's cheeks from tears and tells him he's beautiful and wonderful and whole, and rocks him as he breaks down brick by brick. 

Johnny and Taeyong join them in the way too small tub, and wrap up the two younger boys in their arms. They grab towels and peel off sweatshirts and use them as pillows and blankets wrapped in love and comfort and warmth, and cuddle close together as they piece Donghyuck together little by little.

(Johnny scratches his scalp and weaves his fingers through his hair, Mark twists their fingers together and presses kisses to each knuckle, Taeyong rubs his arm and sends shivers up his spine. He's pliant and sleepy, wrapped up in love.)

And this, he thinks as he drifts farther and farther into unconsciousness with the other three not far behind, this is _warm._

**Author's Note:**

> it's like 11 pm I'm tired af and I'm sick but *slams fist on table* god dammit I'm going to finish and upload this. 
> 
> i hope you enjoyed this because my god it's one of the best things I've written. Don't be afraid to tell me things or point out mistakes in the comments!! Have a good day/night


End file.
